


Childhood Daydreams

by KeyIsPay



Series: Childhood Daydreams [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Character Deaths, F/M, Gen, Mentions of Death, One Sided Love, Unrequited Love, a little confusing, aged-up, they all didn't go to school together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-24
Updated: 2016-04-24
Packaged: 2018-06-04 05:21:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6642988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeyIsPay/pseuds/KeyIsPay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She loved him from the first time she saw him. They were meant for the other. As she watches him on the eve of his wedding day, she wonders to herself, where everything went wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Childhood Daydreams

AU

Why was she here in the first place?  
Surrounded by people she couldn’t care less about, exchanging fake pleasantries and making false plans to catch up that would never happen anyway.  
This wasn’t her scene.  
This city wasn’t even her home anymore.  
She shrugged; she had always been a masochist at heart. 

She took a sip of her champagne, the liquid going down easily and leaving a slight burning sensation in her throat. 

She supposed she was just here to make sure it was real, that this was actually happening. 

That he was really getting married and that it wouldn’t be to her. 

She supposed that looking back now he was never really hers to begin with, but that would never stop her from dreaming or wishing it were different. It still stung her heart knowing that she was an afterthought, a person in the back of his mind, someone whom was no longer classified as important. 

People drift apart she knew that.  
This silly pseudo reunion was proof of that, she clutched onto her champagne glass a little harder as she saw him walk across the room, his black tuxedo and matching green tie bringing out the color in his eyes, jealousy coursed through her veins as she saw his happy greeting to an old friend, Rose.  
For a second she willed for his gaze to land on her, to spot her out, but it didn’t. She turned, and headed straight for the bathroom, she needed to get her mind straight; she had to survive this night. 

As she looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, a single tear ran down her cheek and she wondered where it all went wrong. 

.  
.  
.

She was five when he first moved in next door. 

Her nanny was under the weather and she had no one to play with, her daddy was too busy and all the other servants were performing their daily duties, and her mommy…Well her mommy was under the weather too, she was no longer able to walk on her own. 

She wasn’t used to being alone.  
She hated it, really.  
Her daddy liked to give her things, the nanny gave her things, and the servants allowed her to do what ever her heart desired at that second.  
Too bad all of those things were not what she really wanted. 

But she found herself outside looking over at the other house as a big truck pulled in, she could hear the shuffling and the grunts of the movers as they lifted furniture. She hoped that the new people at least had someone she could play with, the other couple that lived there prior were old, her daddy told her they had gone to a ‘tirehome. 

She heard the sounds of a ball, and she left her dolls on the grass, and she made her way towards the iron gates that separated the two properties. 

Her blue eyes blinked and widened in surprise as she saw him for the first time, his own green eyes looked at her curiously. 

He look his dirty hand through the gate, “Hello,” he began shyly, “I’m Adrien.” 

She hesitated only for a second before taking his hand and shaking it between the iron gates, she didn’t want her white gloves to get dirty, but as he shot her a bright smile, her heart skipped a beat. 

In that moment, she knew without a doubt that he would be her best friend. 

.  
.  
.

She was eight when her mother died. 

She had been sitting on the floor of Adrien’s living room, they were both trying to play chess as Mrs. Agreste watched over them in amusement. The doorbell had rung followed by frantic knocking, she heard muffled voices, but it didn’t concern her, she was trying to move her knight. 

“Sweetheart,” called the soft voice of Isabella, her nanny, she looked up, her blue eyes questioning, “we need to go now.” 

She opened her mouth to protest, but something in Isabella’s expression made her close it and nod. She got up and moved mechanically towards Isabella. Mrs. Agreste grabbed her and hugged her hard, “if you need anything, you’re welcome here anytime.” 

She looked up at her confusion on her young face. Mrs. Agreste only smiled sadly and hugged her one last time. 

Isabella whisked her away and she caught the last words that Adrien said, “what’s going on?” 

.  
Her father was inconsolable, the second he looked at her, he pulled her into a tight hug, his only murmurs were of, ‘I’m sorry’s.” 

“What happened?” It dawned on everyone in the room that in all the confusion and madness no one had explained to her what exactly had been going on. 

“My love, your mom passed away today.” 

Her eyebrows knit together in confusion, “she was here this morning, I passed by her room today, the machines were beeping, she was awake, I know! I peeked in there!” 

Her heart was sinking, she had heard the words passed away before, she knew what it meant, it meant that someone had left and would not be coming back. But it wasn’t possible! Her mother had been in her room that morning! 

She was blinking back tears of sadness and anger, her mother had to be there in this house, she had to be in her room. They were all lying! She took a look around the room, her father with this face marred in red tears, her nanny with a look of pity in her eyes, the other servants with pity in their eyes. 

She stormed away, she ran up the stairs and frantically down the halls to reach her mother’s wing of the house. 

She didn’t bother to knock on the door, her mother would be inside and she would smile once she saw her daughter, her perfect daughter, and her little spitting image. 

But the bed was empty, the machines were gone, the bed was made up – tidied as if no one had ever slept on it. The room no longer smelled of warm vanilla rather it held the smell of disinfectant and for the first time…She learned of what death could smell like. 

The tears ran down her face faster.  
She heard the footsteps of someone walking towards the bedroom and she bolted, she ran through the house looking for the nearest exit out.  
She ran out of the kitchen and raced across her wide green lawn, she hated that it was sunny out, it should have been raining and storming, the weather should have matched her feelings. 

She didn’t bother knocking; rather she rushed into the kitchen of the other house. The occupants of the kitchen looked up startled.  
Adrien was there.  
No words were exchanged, rather he look her small form into his arms and hugged her tightly. 

“She’s gone.”  
“She’s gone.”  
“She’s gone.” 

That was all she could keep muttering as he tried his best to console her.  
.  
.  
.

She was nine when they moved to the center of the city. 

Her father called it downsizing.  
She called it forgetting. 

She felt bitter leaving her childhood home behind, leaving her memories behind and leaving Adrien behind. 

It didn’t matter that he was a twenty-minute drive away, what mattered was the fact that he was no longer next door. 

Mrs. Agreste and her comforting hugs were no longer next-door.  
They were twenty minutes away. 

It made her bitter that all the pictures of her mother seemed to be gone. It was as if her father had tried to erase all memories of her from day to night, pictures, mementos, everything was just gone. 

He said he had put into storage.  
She knew he didn’t want to be reminded.  
He didn’t even want to talk about mother.  
In turn it made her – resent him. 

She found that with all the new changes her will was more adhered to. Her every whim and fancy was given into. No questions were asked when she wanted something, and she used it to her advantage. She used it to try to get her father’s attention, he had been spending too much time in his office as of late, but it was no use. 

He wouldn’t see her.  
He just gave into her from afar; washing his hands clean of her.  
When Adrien would come and see her, they would no longer play make believe or pretend, rather he would treat like a doll. 

He would no longer suggest anything to do, rather ask her what she wanted; he would do anything to please her. 

She hated it. 

.  
.  
.

She was eleven when she first went to school. 

All the kids in the classroom seemed to know the other; she was the odd kid out. 

She didn’t have Adrien with her, he was still taught at home. She was alone and scared. 

Everyone looked at her as if she were an object, not quite believing that she was joining them in their classroom. She hated the stares and the gawking. She had seen in the movies how American girl’s accommodated themselves in these school settings with their hierarchies. 

Her defenses were raised, she wasn’t properly taught to socialize, and there hadn’t ever really been a need. 

The first time the teacher told her ‘no’ was the first time she lost it, she held her breath, her face turning red, fists clenched at her sides. 

How dare the teacher tell her no, didn’t know that she had lost her mother?  
Didn’t she know that this was her first time in school?  
Didn’t she know that making friends was difficult? 

The teacher called her father.  
Her father got the teacher fired. 

It was the first time the kids looked at her differently, they looked at her in astonishment, awe..fear?

Was this what being at the top felt like?  
Alienation with a side of fear?  
It didn’t feel great, but it was better than feeling like an outsider. 

She made her first friend after that, the girl stuck to her like glue. She was easy, a follower, someone she could easily bend to her will. 

The girl was different from Adrien, the girl didn’t seem to think for herself. 

It was as if the girl was just glad that someone wanted her, the girl had wanted to feel as if she belonged, and two lost souls found the other that day. 

The first time she introduced the girl to Adrien, he pulled her aside and told her to treat the other girl better. 

Be nice he said. 

She answered, “I let her sit beside me, isn’t that enough?” 

.  
.  
.

She was twelve when Adrien’s mother left. 

It was as if she was gone one day to the next.  
She remembered seeing her the week prior, Mrs. Agreste seemed to be in good health, all smiles, hugs and kisses. Mrs. Agreste had let her and Adrien help bake cookies. 

Adrien had shut himself away in his room, he wouldn’t answer to anyone and Mr. Agreste had locked his own self away in the mansion somewhere. Adrien was alone and she didn’t know what to do. 

She remembered how he had comforted her all those years ago, but she didn’t think it was what he needed. 

For what felt like hours did she knock on his door, pleading for him to let her in.  
She finally got tired.  
She had plans too.  
Had it been any other day she would have gladly stayed all day and night knocking on that door, waiting for him to let her in, ready to console him and tell him everything would be all right. 

Because the loss of your mother was great, but she knew that eventually it would get better.  
And no matter how much she wanted to be there for him in that moment, she couldn’t.  
She had plans that night; she had to get to her formal. It would help solidify her as Queen Bee. 

Her heart felt heavy, guilt seeping into her consciousness, after all that he had done for her, would she just leave him? Leave him when he needed her most? Five more minutes she told herself. 

If he didn’t answer in five minutes then she would leave. She would leave knowing that she had tried her hardest and there was nothing she could do. Besides, he probably wanted to be alone, right? 

One minute. 

Her knocks were insistent, her knuckles turning red from knocking against the solid cheery wood. 

“Adrien, please! I know you’re not sleeping, let me in!” 

Two minutes. 

Her voice was pleading; she had taken to banging on the door rather than knocking. 

“Adrien, everyone is worried about you! Have you eaten at all today? Let me in, I want to see you!” 

Three Minutes. 

Her hands here cupped against the door acting as a mini megaphone as she called into the room hoping that he would hear her. Her foot was slowly banging against the door. She was getting tired. 

“Adrien Agreste! I’m begging you and you and I both know that I don’t beg. Let me in! I need to make sure you’re okay.” 

Four minutes. 

There were tears in her eyes. Desperation in her voice, she had taken to leaning her back against the door, the back of shoe still hitting the door in an attempt to get the boy to finally let her in. 

“Adrien, I know this is hard for you, but please just let me inside and let me help you like you helped me. “

Five minutes. 

She was sitting down, her had was against the door occasionally banging back against it. There was exhaustion in her voice now, resignation taking over. 

“Adrien, if you don’t come out then I’m leaving, I have things I need to get done. I’ll come by tomorrow and hopefully you’ll be willing to talk then.” 

She got up and turned away, she was halfway down the hall when she heard the door creak, and she only stopped for a second. 

“Why wasn’t I good enough?” 

She paused, she was unsure of what to do, but somehow she knew that a lot rested on this one moment, she had two roads she could follow. She could go home, get dressed and go to the formal; or she could stay behind and held Adrien. 

She hesitated in the hallway. 

The door closed. 

She kept walking.  
She ignored the pleadings of her conscience. 

‘Go back.’  
‘Go back, he needs you.’ 

‘He’ll be okay, I’m sure Mr. Agreste will come down to comfort him…eventually. I have a formal I need to get to.’ 

.  
.  
.

She was fifteen when she first kissed him. 

Adrien had just started at her lycee, first time in public school and he had come in with a huge smile on his face. 

She had the day planned out, where he would sit, where they would eat, what they would do in their spare period. She would clue him into school hierarchy, who everyone was, who were the people he needed to be seen with. She would help him make friends and get acclimated into everything. 

Nothing went as planned. 

She woke up late that first morning.  
She arrived late to school. 

Adrien had gotten there first and had chosen to sit next to Nino…Before she could try to persuade him to come near her, Ms. Bustier had entered and made her sit down. 

Throughout that first period she watched silently as Adrien laughed with Nino.  
She had asked him to come sit down with her for lunch, his answer close to a yes but not quite. 

“I would, but Nino invited me over to his place, I hope that’s okay?” 

She only nodded, her nails digging into her palm. 

. 

She had been envious of the way Adrien seemed to take to school. He had it easy, everyone already knew of him. 

He was Adrien Agreste, the model, and the son of fashion mogul Gabriel Agreste. Adrien was treated like royalty from the start, and she felt forgotten and put on the backburner. She found herself going to school events with everyone else just to get a chance to see Adrien, he would often smile at her and try to include her in all the activities, but everyone else just tolerated her presence. 

Almost as if she were an inconvenience to them, a tolerated afterthought. 

It was during one of these activities that she kissed him. 

One of the girls, Ayla had a party. It was most of the class’ first co-ed party. She rolled her eyes, they were so inexperienced, so naïve, their first co-ed party what a big deal. She had to more than enough soirees were men and women were put into the same room together. 

Under normal circumstances she wouldn’t have gone.  
Under normal circumstances she wouldn’t have been invited.  
But this was different; Adrien had insisted she be invited.  
She went. 

They played spin the bottle.  
Everyone thought they were drunk because they had each had a glass of wine.  
Amateurs.  
Her turn landed her on Adrien, his eyes were wide as he realized what the spin meant. 

Maybe this was their moment where it would all come together, where he would have an epiphany that they should be together.  
Not that she wanted to be with him, but the thought was nice, from friends to lovers.  
She kissed him.  
He seemed shocked; her hands went to his neck, his arms wrapped around her waist.  
Before she knew it – it was over. She looked at him, her face was flushed, he still looked shocked, he stared at her wide-eyed. 

She knew in that moment that she wanted to be with him.  
.  
.  
.

She was eighteen when she lost her virginity. 

It was someone’s party. Everyone had just graduated and was moving onto University, they were all splitting up; this was their last hurrah. 

She wouldn’t miss half of these people, the only person that really mattered had been her lifelong friend, it wouldn’t be easy to lose touch with him. 

It had started with one drink.  
Then a game.  
Before she knew it, she was drunk. She was loose, she was fun, and she loved all of these people and would miss them dearly. 

She kissed Ayla on the cheek, “you’re going to be the best reporter! I’m sorry for being such a bitch.” 

She hugged Kim, “You know, for a body builder, you’re pretty hot.” 

She took a selfie with Mylene, “I love your dreds, the fact that you don’t care what others think is badass.” 

She gave advice to Ivan, “You better marry Mylene one day, I swear, she’s one in a million, probably the only person that doesn’t find you intimidating.” 

She played a video game with Nino, “tell me again why you never asked out Ayla?” 

She asked Max for a favor, “So I’m pretty sure I’ll flunk out of University, I have no idea what to study, will you do all of my homework?” 

She was stumbling through the house, her mind racing, a million thoughts going through her head at once, the most important being, where was Adrien?

She hummed along to the Scooby Doo theme song as she searched for Adrien, she didn’t notice the table and as she tumbled down she felt a pair of strong arms catch her.  
“How much did you drink?” 

She let out a giggle, “enough, where have you been? I found you!” She hugged Adrien, her lips grazing his cheek lightly. 

“I was at a photo shoot for my father, looks like you’re having fun.” 

“I am now that you’re here.” 

“You look like a drunk Barbie.” She beamed, he called her a barbie. 

“You can be my drunk Ken, come on!” She tugged on his arm, urging him to follow her. 

“You shouldn’t be drinking anymore, you’ve had enough for the night.” 

“It’s not for me, it’s for you, now lets go play a game.” 

She smiled as she saw Rose setting up a beer pong table, perfect. “Do you have room for one more?” 

They were laughing and lounging on a couch, everyone else was in the backyard playing some sort of pool game. Her head was on his chest, she loved it there, he was playing with her hair something he wouldn’t normally do, hell, he normally wouldn’t allow her this close, this intimate.  
He was drunk.  
She loved it. 

“Adrien?” 

“Hmm?” 

“Have you ever…” 

“Have I ever what?” 

“Had sex?” 

He paused for a second, “yes.” 

She was curious, “With who?” 

“One of the models I worked with, why are you so curious?” 

She was suddenly desperate, she wanted him, “I..” she licked her lips, “Will you..with me?” 

The request sobered him up, “No, that is a boundary, I will not cross with you.” 

“Why?” 

“No, we are friends.” 

Friends.  
The word stung her. She got up and pushed him away, she didn’t look back at him, she knew he was walking after her, but he was slower – his body still trying compensate for the alcohol in his system, she got outside faster.  
She took a shot.  
And went for Kim. 

“Leaving so soon?” 

“I-“ He took a look at her, “are you okay?” 

She snapped, “I’m fine, are you leaving?” 

“Yes.” 

“Can I come?” 

She left without a glance backwards, she heard Adrien calling after her but she kept walking, she wrapped herself around Kim. 

.  
She woke up first. Kim was still sleeping beside her. She felt sore all over. She had a mild headache. 

She got up.  
She got dressed.  
She left.  
.  
.  
.

She was twenty one when she accepted an internship to New York. 

She was studying fashion in University, she was not quite sure which branch she wanted to study whether it was editing or design, she just needed a major and fashion seemed suitable. 

It made sense, she was wealthy, she liked clothing nothing else caught her attention. Fashion was the easy way out. She was surprisingly good at editing too, her father encouraged her to do more projects, apply to internships even if they weren’t in Paris, he wanted her to branch out. And she took his advice, she had spent the past six months applying to internships all over Europe and America. 

She would never admit it aloud but she thought this would bring her closer to Adrien. She had not seen him in awhile, he was busy balancing University life with this modeling , and now that he was older his modeling jobs were more taxing, longer hours, more faraway shoots. 

She missed him. 

Tonight was the perfect night to reconnect though, Adrien’s father was hosting a gala, Paris’ elite was on the guest list.

She spent hours getting ready, her stylist, Kara tried to indulge her on her every whim down to the last detail. 

Her hair was in perfect side chignon, bangs were out and falling in a perfectly messy way over her eyes. Her contour was perfect, her eyes were smokey, her lipstick a peachy nude. 

And her dress, the dress was absolutely stunning. It was a one of a kind design, literally. She had paid a local designer from her University to make it, she didn’t personally know the girl but she had seen the work the girl had made in the past. 

The girl was an up and coming designer in the making. 

The dress itself was red with a slit on the side, the bodice was covered in a black sequin design with a sweetheart neckline, the rest was covered in a nude lace with an open back, the black designs following down along the sleeves. 

She felt like a princess. 

She slipped on her Louboutin’s, she was ready. 

When she got to the gala, she was swarmed by paparazzi. 

“Who designed your dress?” 

“What shoes’ are you wearing?” 

“How is Adrien doing?” 

“Is it true you two broke up?” 

“How do you feel about him dating di-“  
She zoned at dating.  
Adrien was dating?

He hadn’t told her any of that information. He had never even mentioned liking anyone. She posed for a few more pictures and went inside. Her back was straight, there was a small smile on her face, but on the inside she was panicked. Her blood was running cold. 

She searched for his blood head, looking for any sign of him. 

Maybe he could clear this up for her.  
Maybe this was all a ruse set up by his father…  
That had to be it, dating for publicity. 

She spent the better part of half an hour looking for him, exchanging fake pleasantries with people as her eyes wandered the ballroom. 

She finally saw him at the top of the stairs, a woman on his arm. 

The woman was stunning.  
Dark brown hair, tan complexion, her dress was simple – black, it was sleeveless and had an open back. Her hair was down and curled. Her lips red. 

Who was this woman? 

She turned her head away, she didn’t want to keep looking, she forced a smile on her face as Adrien approached her with the woman in tow. 

“Where have you been?” 

She laughed, “I could ask you the same thing, I’ve been looking for you all over.” 

“I’m sorry, that was my fault, I’ve been keeping him busy, I’m Lila.” 

“The pleasure is mine,” She took Lila’s hand, “I-“ She was cut off by the lights dimming and Gabriel making his opening speech. 

She walked away discreetly searching for a bathroom the second the spotlight hit Adrien and Lila. 

Her heart was pounding. Her world was spinning.  
She just wanted to sit down. 

He was dating Lila.  
She seemed to make him happy, the way he smiled at her, it reeked of affection. He could grow to love Lila given enough time. 

She didn’t want to be around to see it.  
She locked herself in the bathroom, she sat on the toilet seat, she wanted to call someone, anyone. 

She didn’t have close friends.  
She good at pushing people away, and it was hard to find someone that would tolerate her attitude. 

She dialed a number. 

“Hello?” 

“Hey.” 

“Is everything okay? Did the dress fit? Is it too big? Too small? Do you hate the pattern? I know I should have gone with something different, maybe left out that nude lace?” She smiled wryly, count on the designer. 

“No everything is fine, thank you for the dress, it is beautiful.” 

“Okay good, I was worried for a second, I didn’t want you to be calling me angry, wait, aren’t you at the gala?” 

She bit her lip, “I am, this place isn’t my scene.” 

“Somehow I doubt that.” The designer was snarky. 

“Hey, I know that you applied for that designing internship with Coco Chanel and a few others have you heard back yet?” 

“I did actually, I heard back from DKNY today, it isn’t my top choice but fingers crossed, I’ll get the one I want.” 

“Which one is the one you want?” 

“Gabriel Agreste.” 

“Ah. He’s picky.” Her mind wandered to all the times she had been at shoots with Adrien and Gabriel had critized every single aspect of the shoot and the design work. He once stopped a shoot for Adrien’s shirt collar being too straight; it didn’t go with the messy look, apparently. 

“I know, I’ve heard the stories, but I interviewed with this assistant a couple of days ago, so I know I’ve passed the first part of his screening process. Have you heard anything back yet?” 

“Not yet.” 

“Check your email, usually you’ll get a response there first, and I know the American based companies respond with an answer faster than the ones based here in Paris.” 

“Do you mind if I look really quick?” 

“Do your thing, I’ll be here.” 

She scrolled through her phone looking for her email app, her heart still pounding. The first one that popped up was Vogue. 

Congratulations. 

That was all she read. 

She was in. 

She let out a squeal. 

“I’m in!” 

“I heard!” 

“I-Thank you for answering, and talking to me.” 

“Say no more, I’m glad you’re feeling better.” 

“I’ll talk to you later?” 

“For sure.” 

Click. 

She looked over her email again, one year internship in New York with Vogue. She smiled to herself.  
.  
.  
.

She was twenty three when they made a pact. 

They were hanging out in Adrien’s backyard, she was in the hammock, Adrien was leaning against a tree. They were having some alone time, which was surpring all things considered this was at a party.  
But everyone else was in the pool, so it was to be expected. 

He was the one that started the conversation, “Do you ever think we’ll be happy?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I don’t know, I guess finding a point in our lives where everything just adds up and makes sense.” 

“I don’t understand.” 

“I guess, with the whole situation that went down with Lila and my father pretty much still running my life, I feel like I’m in a standstill.” 

“I think that’s your problem, you listen to your father too much, what do you want to do Adrien?” 

“Promise not to laugh?” 

“Cross my heart.” 

He laughed, “cross my heart?” 

“It’s an American saying, what did we agree on about no laughing?” 

“You agreed on that Princess.” 

“Whatever, what were you saying?” 

“I want to study Physics.” 

“Physics? I just never took you for the physics type to be honest.” 

“I know but it was the subject in school that I was the best at, I would honestly like to teach it someday.” 

“From model boy to teacher, I don’t know what to say.” 

“I know, two different ball parks, I haven’t told my father yet, I think he wants me to follow in his footsteps, not as a designer but as someone to take over his empire and oversee everything.” 

“I think you need to tell him.” 

He looked at her, they held gazes, “I do?” 

“Yes, no matter how strict he is or intimidating, he is still your father and I know he wants to see you be happy.” 

He smiled and nodded, he leaned back against the tree again. 

She had a question that she needed to ask and she finally blurted it out, “What happened with Lila?” 

He looked at her surprised, “I wasn’t in love with her.” He said simply. 

“But I thought..”She trailed off. 

“I know, I liked her well enough, I loved her as a person, but I can’t say that it was that deep passionate love everyone talks about.” 

They sat in silence again. 

“Have you ever been in love?” He asked her. 

“I thought I was, back in New York, I started to date another intern, I thought that when the time came to come back to Paris, I would be heart broken and crying. None of that happened.” 

“I see.” 

“Adrien, do you think we’ll ever be in love?” 

He shrugged, “Who’s to say. I take it all one day at a time.” 

She smiled, “It would be a shame for you not to pass on those genes.” 

“Me? What about you?” 

“Touche.” 

But she saw her chance, and she didn’t think twice, “What if.” 

“Yes?” 

“We get married to each other, like those pacts you see on television.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“You know, the ones where if you’re not married by a certain age, you’ll marry the other.” 

“I don’t see why not,” he said. “I’ll get to marry one of my best friends.” 

“So thirty?” 

“Thirty.” He repeated. 

“If we’re not married or dating anyone seriously by thirty then we marry the other, deal?” 

He smiled at her, “deal.” 

.  
.  
.

She was twenty six when she got the invitation. 

Adrien and her had drifted apart throughout the years, Adrien had eventually stopped doing as many photoshoots around the time her own life picked up. She traveled the world as a junior fashion editor. 

She met new acquaintances.  
New men and Adrien seemed to fade into the background.  
What did it was her dating Jagged Stone, he was a jealous type, to make him happy, she more or less slaughtered her relationship with Adrien. 

In her desperation to get over Adrien, she ruined the best friendship she had in her life, ironic. 

She rarely kept up with his social life; they no longer traveled in the same circles. During that time she felt almost free, as if she were moving on. But it took one invitation to bring it all tumbling down. 

A part of her wondered if she was invited out of formality more than anything. It wasn’t like they were exactly close anymore. 

She had stared in envy at the card, at it’s pictures, even at the font. 

The card was simple, it was an off white, black italicized letters on the front: You are cordially invited. The invitation was elegant, no fancy ribbons, no audacious coloring, and the picture that was included broke her heart all over again. 

When she saw his fiancée her eyebrows shot up.  
The irony was not lost on her, guess; she did end up getting her dream internship.  
What a small world indeed. 

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste. 

.  
.  
.

She braced her shoulders back and walked out of the bathroom, she could do this. 

She was Chloe Bourgeois. 

He head was held high and she walked back into the foyer, she walked down two steps, she saw Adrien turn, his eyes alight with excitement and for a second she thought it was meant for her. 

But his eyes were looking past her, and she turned just slightly. Marinette walked down the steps. Her dress was red, went down to her knees, dolman style sleeves and a boat neck cut. She wore classic pearls on her neck; her hair was down and curled. 

She was beautiful. 

She saw the way Adrien looked at Marinette; it was if he looked at her in wonder, in awe. 

He never looked at her that way. 

Adrien held his hand out for Marinette to grab; he twirled her in a circle before guiding her to their table. She knew the speeches would start soon. She hung back, in the shadows of the room to avoid being seen, no one was looking for her, or remembered that she was even there. 

Envy clawed at her, why wasn’t that her up there? 

Glasses were clinked.  
And it was Adrien that began, “I met Marinette on total accident, we were twenty four and she had just been hired by the creative department in my father’s company. Mari will tell you that it was me that purposely ran into her, but we all know that’s pawsitively not true.”

She saw Marinette roll her eyes and shoot Adrien a loving smile, “…I’ve never loved anyone half as much as I love Mari, she is my heart, my soul and my reason to smile everyone morning…I’m eternally grateful to be marrying my best friend.” 

Chloe’s smile faded, she remembered their pact from year’s ago. 

‘One of my best friends.’ 

She had always been an option, never the only choice. When would her heart stop breaking?  
She turned away then. 

No one would miss her. She got to the elevator and was hurriedly trying to close the doors; she wanted to make her escape quickly. A hand stopped the doors from closing, and for a second she dared to hope only to be disappointed. 

It was a man, olive complexion, and red hair. 

She had never seen him before, she was sure he wasn’t one of Adrien’s friends. 

“Sorry about that, I just needed to get out of there.” He muttered. 

“I know what you mean,” She said back softly. 

They stood in silence for a second as the elevator went down floors. 

“I’m Nathanael by the way.” 

“Chloe, Chloe Bourgeois.” 

“Friend of the groom or bride?” 

“Groom, you?” 

“The bride.” 

She nodded, they stood in silence once more, but something bothered her, and she was never one to let things go. 

“Why did you leave?” She looked at him in the eyes, and she was taken aback, she had never seen teal eyes before, they were beautiful. 

He cringed at her question but felt compelled to answer her, “have you ever regretted missed opportunities and chances?” 

“Sometimes, tonight in particular.” 

They looked at each other, both recognizing that they found something together, a connection, kindred spirits. 

The elevator stopped and opened on the ground floor.  
He offered his arm, “I know it’s kind of late, but would you like to get a cup of coffee with me?” 

She took it without hesitation, “I actually know of place that’s open late.” 

It was never too late to start over. 

Chloe Bourgeois was twenty seven when she finally decided to let go.

**Author's Note:**

> So I do apologize if it was a little confusing to read and to keep up with. This little thought train came to me out of nowhere, and I wanted to go along with it. 
> 
> I also wanted to humanize Chloe a little bit, she's bossy, rude and not one of my favorites, but I remember seeing a post on tumblr about her, about her expressions on the origins episode, where she wanted Adrien to sit by her. She looked so disappointed when nothing was working out the way she wanted it to, and I just knew there was more to her. So that is where that inspiration came from 
> 
> It is unedited so all mistakes are mine. 
> 
> This is my first time dipping back into writing so please be gentle with me.  
> I felt like I needed to contribute to the fandom. 
> 
> I'm not completely sure if I want to make this into a mini-series surrounding more of Chloe and Adrien's relationship prior, or if I would do a Nathanael and Marinette one-shot, or hell even delve into Nathanael and Chloe's relationship. We'll see if the plot bunnies strike again.


End file.
